FragPunk Playtest Impressions
FragPunk is a PvP game developed by NetEase-owned, Bad Guitar Studio. The first FragPunk playtest on Steam concluded on July 1st. I tried the game out for around 5 hours diving into the respective game modes that were available. The main modes in the playtest are a classic team deathmatch with respawns, and competitive mode. The comp mode is Shard Clash which is round-based PvP. In Shard Class, attackers try to plant the converter and defenders fend off the attackers and attempt to diffuse the converter if planted. It is similar to the playoffs in the NBA or the NHL where it is a best of 7 series. First to 4 wins the match but there’s a unique twist. If each team is at 3 wins, the winner is decided in a series of 1v1 fights.
Gameplay
This playtest had 8 Lancers (heroes) to play as where each has 3 unique abilities. I frequented a character named Pathojen. Her 3 abilities provide healing to the team, a wall that provides cover, and a trap that activates when an enemy goes near it or activated manually. Natrually, Pathojen falls within the support-type class. It made it simple to get acclimated to the game and its mechanics.
FragPunk takes clear inspiration from Valorant in map layouts and hero abilities. However, the gunfights play out differently. No doubt Valorant takes a lot from Counter-Strike in the fact that you are most accurate if you are still, slow-walking or in a crouched position. In contrast, FragPunk allows players to actually strafe while shooting and there is also a sprint.
Card system
FragPunk’s shard clash mode is round-based but with a unique spin on each round. Teammates spend tokens on a set of 3 cards before each round. Cards have a wide range of effects on the match. These cards can change the outcome of the matches and exhibit a wide range of buffs and nerfs that bolster your own arsenal or undermine the strategy the enemy team is attempting to implement. The cards definitely add to the experience and keep things fresh each round. Some are just statistical increases while others offer more quirky additions. Through my time with FragPunk, I unlocked 43/73 cards.
These cards are self-explanatory but my favorites out of the 43 are the frozen wasteland card which turns the floor into ice and we can slide freely, and the turtle back card which spawns a turtle that sits adorably on your back and protects your rear.
Weapons
Fragpunk has the typical repertoire of weapons. Each weapon class gives players access to Shotguns, SMG, LMG, assault rifles, snipers, secondaries, and a knife. In shard class, there is an economy system where players spend a point on the primary weapon they’ll use in that round. If you perish in that round, the weapon that you used can no longer be purchased in the next rounds, unless your team chooses the free-for-all card. If you survive the round then that weapon is still available to use.
Performance
According to the system requirements on Steam, my PC exceeds the recommended spec in the GPU category. My CPU is one gen behind the recommended/minimum spec. I was weary of performance before booting the game. But as I do in all PC games, I spent time messing with the settings to optimize my experience. After tinkering with FragPunk I was left impressed by the breadth of graphical options and the stability of the game overall. There was even DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) which is always a sigh of relief. Fortunately, no crashes reported during my time with the playtest.
Overall Thoughts on the FragPunk Playtest
I enjoyed what I played. I haven’t jumped into a new hero shooter in a while. It is fun to jump into multiplayer stuff to supplement my single-player journey. The card system adds a fun element to each match that keeps it fresh with each round. According to the FragPunk CAT announcement page, this game is due on Xbox and PC sometime in 2025. As my guy Don the Otaku told me, Xbox showed foresight in picking this one up!
